Nothing Else Matters
by AgentNote
Summary: ONESHOT. JJ/Garcia friendship, no slash. Set after Penelope. Garcia finds JJ in a place where it's only expected she'd be. Please review! Rated T for drinking and minor language.


**A/N: So this is just a little something I thought up. I always think things happen to JJ and they never make a big deal out of them (must be a weakness, JJ is my all time favorite character), and this episode wasn't an exception. Oh well. I'm actually not quite sure what I think of it, but I guess you can review and I'll see what you think. :) JJ/Garcia friendship, no intended slash. Proof read by no one but me, so sorry for any mistakes. Enjoy! And please please review!**

**Dislaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds (well, isn't that kind of obvious?).**

**Spoilers: Penelope (3x9)**

"_Everything happens for a reason…If I lose faith in that, then nothing in my life makes sense."_ ~Garcia, from "Criminal Minds" episode 'Penelope'

BOOM!

The shot rang throughout the building for a few seconds and the silence prevailed. In one simple moment, nothing happened. Hotch and Rossi stood shocked, while Fuchs did the same. As Battle hit the ground, Fuchs breathed a sigh of relief. Immediately, once Battle was cleared of the gun surrounding him, the bustle began.

Hotch and Rossi knelt down beside Battle, checking his pulse.

"It's clear," Rossi yelled, and the insanity continued. EMTs seemed to rush in from various doors, people flew in from different directions; JJ didn't know where to go.

JJ had never killed anyone before. She had killed dogs, granted, but that was different. They were going to kill her. As her thoughts wandered to that barn back in Georgia, JJ remembered the dogs pouncing at her. She could vividly recall the feeling of their teeth digging into her arm, and the screams she elicited which she would always regret, for at the same time Reid was enduring much, much more.

Though this was an unsub, and an unsub hunting down her best friend at that, JJ still had shot and killed a person. He probably had a best friend, too. And because this killer was indeed a man, JJ stood still, shocked at what she had just done.

As Hotch bent down to the ground JJ slowly lowered her gun. Nodding firmly at JJ, Hotch turned away. JJ just stood there for a few moments longer then proceeded to the outskirts of the commotion.

She sat down on the edge of a table and watched as an approaching officer glanced at her. JJ noticed that Derek, Emily, and Garcia had all walked in but she kept her attention on the guy interrogating her.

It was nothing bad, just the simple 'you just shot someone, but you're a fed and plus, it was to save other people' questions. She answered them plainly and, when finished, the officer walked away.

JJ continued to stare off into space when Garcia walked up to her.

"Hey," Garcia initiated.

"Hey," JJ answered back.

"I never wanted you to have to do something like that," Garcia admitted truly.

JJ knew her friend was telling her the truth. Though killing Battle meant saving Garcia's life, JJ still believed that her bubbly friend would rather have no one dead. Garcia didn't even believe in guns. It was when lives were at stake, though, when she knew they could come in handy.

JJ put on a smile, but Garcia noticed it didn't totally reach her bright, blue eyes. "I never even blinked," JJ told her, "You do whatever it takes to protect your family."

Trying to believe her, Garcia nodded solemnly. In reality, though, JJ seemed distraught, what with her happiness being shielded by a film of uncertainty. Garcia couldn't blame her best friend, however. She had just shot and, for that matter, killed a man.

Still, the two exchanged a hug as the words left JJ's mouth. After pulling back, JJ noted the replacement tech analyst. He had been watching Garcia intently.

"I think someone's watching you," JJ whispered to her friend and nodded her head at Kevin Lynch. Garcia looked over, a smile gradually gracing her lips.

"Do you believe everything happens for a reason?" Garcia asked seriously.

JJ simply shrugged, desperately trying to maintain her fixed smile. She wanted to feel happy for Garcia, she really did. The man who had been hunting her down the past few days was finally dead and she even got a guy out of it. Then again, JJ was the one who had shot said man and her emotions were bouncing around crazily inside of her head.

Nudging her over towards Lynch, JJ smiled slightly. She partly wanted Garcia to meet him; they'd look good together, but another part of her wanted to get home and down a cold, refreshing beer. She got the feeling that she may be drinking a few more beers than one.

Observing the handshake between the two tech analysts, JJ got up and walked up to Hotch.

"I'm leaving. I already gave the police my statement and they said I was free to go."

"Alright. Listen…JJ. I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to take some time off. I know what killing someone can do to a person, and you especially. You've never had to engage in the things we do but tonight you displayed incredible bravery. Go home and rest, okay?" Hotch said it with meaning. He felt for JJ, he really did. It was true. JJ never had to go through the things the profilers did, and as such she hadn't had as much experience with shooting. True, she had obviously passed her qualifications, but the chance to kill as media liaison was very rare.

"Thanks, Hotch," JJ replied. She again tried to smile, but the only thing she could muster up was a forced grimace.

Hotch noticed and decided not to take any more of her time. Nodding, he stepped aside and let JJ pass through the doors.

Later that night.

JJ slammed down an empty glass onto the counter. She looked around. Five other glasses, previously drained, surrounded the area, as well as two shot glasses.

"Hey. Hey. You in the black," JJ motioned for the bartender to come over.

"Um…You want another drink or something?" He asked cautiously.

"Well why do you think I'm here? Fill it up to the top, too. None of that 'it's going to spill' shit."

The bartender sighed. He retrieved a cup and filled it to the brim.

"This good enough for you, lady?"

"Hmm…" JJ stared. Taking a sip, she smiled, "Haha, this is perfect!"

The bartender simply walked away from the obvious drunk, realizing he wouldn't receive a tip, or a good one at least. That lady wasn't even able to stand up straight, let alone count out a decent amount of cash.

JJ hummed quietly to herself while downing her sixth beer. She had come directly to the bar from the BAU and immediately ordered a couple shots to start off the night. After dancing with countless strangers, getting drunker by the while, she had taken a seat at the counter.

Reflecting on the night's previous events, she closed her eyes. As the darkness overcame her, JJ felt herself pulling that trigger. She saw him fall to the ground. She heard him pronounced dead. Every time she shut her eyes, even for the tiniest while, JJ could see the whole thing replaying in her mind.

And so she didn't shut her eyes. Instead she kept drinking and drinking and drinking.

About to take yet another sip of the amber colored liquid, she noticed a figure coming into the bar. It was Garcia.

"Hey!" JJ yelled across the bar. She waved down her friend and patted the stool next to her.

"What are you doing here, Jayje? Have you been here since you left the office?" Garcia asked, worry evident in her tone. Taking a seat, she shook her head as a bartender proceeded to take her order.

Garcia realized JJ might need a ride home, and drinking would not be beneficial to that fact.

"You bet I have!" JJ's response was slurred and excited. It was something someone incredibly drunk would say.

Garcia sighed. She knew why she was here. Anyone who knew her that had been in the BAU just hours ago would know.

JJ was confused. If confused was the right word. She had never killed anyone, and killing Battle tonight pushed her over an edge JJ never had to encounter before.

Setting a now empty sixth glass onto the countertop, JJ turned towards her friend. She smiled wide.

"Garcia! You're here, too! Well don't just sit there, you dummy. Get a drink! Or two!" JJ beckoned for the bartender to come over, but Garcia subtly shook her head 'no'. The waiter nodded slightly and turned on his heels to a room in the back marked EMPLOYEES ONLY.

"Hey come back here!" JJ yelled angrily at the retreating man. She stood up as if to follow him, when she stumbled a bit. She felt quite dizzy and standing was not helping the headache that just began to bloom.

"Whoa. Slow down there, Jayje. Walking is not going to help you, okay? Listen, why don't I drive you home? You're definitely NOT in any condition to drive," Garcia told her friend.

"No, no. I'm fine. Really. I'm fine. Just a bit dazed is all," JJ replied, laughing it off. She knew, though, that she was not fine. In fact, JJ understood why she was here, at this bar, drinking insanely.

That shot. No, she silently corrected herself. That kill.

Wishing that the whole incident would disappear, for JJ wasn't in the mood to think about it, she yanked herself of Garcia's grip.

Garcia looked worried. She had never seen her friend so drunk. JJ rarely drank, and if she did, it was usually a beer or two. The most she'd ever seen her friend down at one outing was three, and here she was finishing off her sixth plus two shots.

"JJ, let's get you home," Garcia grabbed her friend's hand once again, urging her to the door.

"No!" JJ yelled. A few people glanced in their direction then turned away, realizing it was midnight in a bar, and yelling was a natural thing.

"I want to party!" JJ continued. She shoved Garcia's hand away and started aiming weak shoves at her.

Garcia quickly realized that angering a drunken JJ was not a smart thing to do. Allowing JJ's hands to weakly collide with her shoulder, she decided on a new tactic. Before being able to initiate it, though, JJ paused. Confused, Garcia cocked her head. This set JJ off in fits of laughter. Now laughing hysterically, Garcia knew she had to rid JJ's body of the alcohol and perceived that the only way that could happen was by getting themselves out of the bar.

"C'mon JJ. I mean it. We're leaving."

"Haha…No…Garci…Garci…a...Not yet!" JJ continued laughing. She managed to spit out Garcia's name among the chokes of laughter.

As Garcia comprehended her best friend's state, she decided she'd just pull her to the door.

Reaching the door was the easy part. Pushing her out seemed to be more difficult than she imagined it'd be.

"No! I don't want to go! Not yet. C'mon Penelope, you didn't even drink!" Despite her disagreements to leaving, JJ continued laughing.

As JJ stopped laughing suddenly, Garcia stood shocked. One minute the woman couldn't hold it in and the next she was just standing there. Noting her facial expressions, Garcia noticed a huge grin plastered to JJ's face. Sighing, she realized the giggles weren't over, just paused. As JJ inhaled, seeming as if this would be the biggest laugh yet, Garcia squeezed her eyes shut.

Instead of laughing, though, JJ surprised her.

She screamed. She didn't hold back. She just screamed, yelled. JJ let all of her feelings from that night, every damn emotion, out in that scream. Then she fell down to the ground and began an uncontrollable strain of sobs.

"Oh JJ," Garcia said sympathetically, and knelt to the ground to comfort her friend. "It's okay, Jayje. Really, it is."

"No Garcia…no…it's…not..." JJ managed to sputter out between sobs and gulps of air. After a minute, JJ's cries decreased to a minimum.

"How did you even find me here?" JJ asked, her voice shaky from the tears silently streaming down her face.

Garcia flared out a small chortle, "You remember who you're talking to, right, my girl? I tracked your cell down."

"Oh," JJ smiled feebly, "Right."

A few minutes of silence went by, and JJ's cries were softer now, but still evident.

"I killed him." Garcia heard the whisper so faintly that at first she thought it was the wind. Realizing it was JJ, though, made her turn towards her, silently urging her to continue.

"I killed him. For you, I killed him. And if I could do it again, I wouldn't change I thing. He was a bastard and we all knew that. But he was still a person. And I'm sorry, Pen, really sorry. Don't hate me for saying that."

Garcia was silent. JJ looked like she was about to cry again if she didn't get a response so Garcia quickly chimed up.

"JJ…I don't hate you. I could never hate you. Yeah, so the guy was trying to kill me. But I get it. He was a person. He had a family." Silence. "JJ. You're my best friend. You're more than that…You're…You're…Well, you're my JJ." More silence. A metal clang sounded in the distance followed by a cat's meow.

"He probably had a JJ of his own," Garcia added quietly. The silence that followed, to any passerby, would have seemed extremely eerie. But it wasn't for the two best friends who sat on the ground in the middle of an alleyway where a bar leads out to. Sure, it may have even looked a bit weird if a random person were to stroll on by. But it wasn't. Not to the ones that this scene really mattered to.

Garcia and JJ sat for what seemed like an eternity but was really only a few minutes. It was like the quiet was a silent thank you, an apology of sorts, though one wasn't needed.

Out of nowhere, JJ inched closer to the other blonde and hugged her.

"I don't hate you," JJ whispered into her ear.

"I love you, too, JJ. I love you, too. And thank you."

The two stayed like that for even longer. It didn't matter that it was one in the morning. It didn't matter that JJ would have a nasty hangover in the morning if she didn't get home soon. It didn't matter that rain began drizzling and then pouring down upon their bodies, soaking their clothes.

All that mattered was that nothing was any different. Nothing changed. Except that two friends were impossibly closer. And all this was due to the fact that someone was now dead.

But as Garcia once said, everything happens for a reason.


End file.
